Watchman s electric recorder



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' J. BEDDING.

WATGHMANS ELECTRIC RECORDER. No. 299,011. Patented May 20, 1884.

HELL Fig-2- WITNESEEE INVENTEIR y- V w if 'g- N. PETERS, Fhum-Lilho nphoz, Walhinglun. D4 6.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. BEDDING.

WATGHMANS ELECTRIC RECORDER. No. 299,011. Patented May 20, 1884.

WITNESSEE NVENTEIRI UNITED STATES PATENT EErcE.

JEROME BEDDING, OF MALDEN, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, AND HARVEY REDDIN G, OF EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS.

WATCHMANS ELECTRIC RECORDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 299,011, dated May 20, 1884:.

Application filed January 31, 1884. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEROME BEDDING, of Malden, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvementsin Watchmens Electrical Registers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric registering apparatus comprising a dial rotated continuously at a given rate, and marking devices operated by the closure of an electric circuit at different stations which a watchman is expected to visit in the performance of his duty, to indicate on said dial the time when the circuit is closed at each station.

The invention consists, first, in the arrangement of said markers whereby they are all caused to strike at the same point on the face of the dial, so that the marks or characters made on the dial will be in a single row concentric with the center of the dial; secondly, in

the provision of a different type or printingcharacter for each station; thirdly, in the provision of an ink-ribbon interposed between the dial and the markers; fourthly, in the provision of an automatic circuit-breaker, whereby each marker may be causedto give a rapid succession of blows during a single normal closure of the circuit; and, fifthly, in the provision of means for making a mark on the dial whenever the door of the case containing the dial and markers is unlocked, all of which I will now proceed to describe.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of the dial and marking devices embodying my invention, the inclosingcase not being shown. Fig. 2 represents an edge view of the dial and its motor, and a side elevation of one of the markers and the operating devices therefor. Fig'. 2 is a perspective view of part of Fig. 2. Fig. 3 represents a section of a part of the inclosing-case, showing a circuit-closer adapted to be operated by the retraction of the lock-bolt. Fig. 4 represents a'diagram of the circuits.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, a represents a paper dial provided with suitable subdivisions on its surface, and .detachably secured by a spring-clip, b, to a supporting plate or disk, 0, which is secured to an arbor, c. Said arbor is rotated continuously by a motor and a train of gearing of any suitable construction, the dial being completely rotated thereby once in twelve hours.

(1 d d represent markers or hammers, which are pivoted so that one end of each can strike against the dial, or against an interposed inkribbon, hereinafter described, the hammers being arranged radially, so that each will strike at the same point, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the result of this arrangement, in connection with the rotary movement of the dial, being that the marks made by the several hammers are in a circular series, each coinciding with the graduation of the dial, indicating the time when the impression was made. Each hammer is mechanically connected to the armature f of an electro-magnet, G, in such manner that when the armature is attracted to the poles of the magnet it will throw the hammer against the dial. In the present instance I have shown the armatures f connected to the hammers d by connecting-rods '0', pivoted at j to. the armatures, and at k, Fig. 2, to arms Z on the hammers, the hammers being pivoted at m to fixed supports or brackets 12. When the armatures are not attracted, they hold the hammers in the positions shown by full lines in Figs. 1 and 2, and when attracted they cause the hammers to strike the dial, as shown in dotted lines in the same figures. The electromagnets are included in branches of an electric circuit, as shown inFig. 4, each branch having a circuit-closer, 0, which may be an ordinary push-button, so that when the circuit is closed in any branch the electro-magnet of that branch will be energized and caused to attract its armature and operate the hammer or marker connected therewith. The circuit-closers are located at different points in a building or establishment which a watchman is expected to visit, and the time or times of his presence at such points will be indicated by the impressions made by the hammers or markers on the dial. Each hammer is provided at the end which acts on the dial with a type or character diifering from the characters on the others, and efi'ects an impression of its character on the dial. The different characters are preferably letters of the alphabet;

but mnnerals or any suitable series of characters may be used. It is obvious, however, that the hammers or markers may be simply pointed, so as to perforate or puncture the dial.

4' represents an ink-ribbon supported on rollers s s, which are arranged to hold the i11- tervening portion of the ribbon in close proximity to or against the part of the dial on which the hammers act, the hammers striking the ribbon and making their impression through the same in awell-known manner. I do not confine myself, however, to the employment of an ink-ribbon when the hammers are provided with types, for the types maybe allowed to act directly on the dial without making a colored impression; or a series of sheets, alternately dial-sheets and carbon or transfer paper, may be superposed on the rotating disk, so that several fac-similes of the same record may be produced. The hammers, with their distinctive types, may make their impressions on a sheet of paper moved progressively by other meai1s-as by a drum or drums rotated by a suitable motor-such a sheet being an equivalent of the rotating dial as areceiver of the impressions of the different characters on the han'nners. Each branch circuit is composed in part of a metallic arm, 25, pivoted at one end to a fixed metallic brack et, a, in the branch circuit, and normally resting at its other end with a yielding pressure 011 a pin or projection, 11, 011 the armature f. \Vhen the circuit is closed by a circuit-closer 0, the corresponding armature is attracted and strikes the poles of the electromagnet, and the arm 1., moving upwardly with the armature, acquires suliicient momentum to momentarily separate it from the armature and break the circuit after the armature has completed its upward movement. The armature is thus caused to drop, and is again attracted by the closure of the circuit caused by the dropping of the arm '6 upon the pin t. It will be seen, therefore, that so long as the attendant or watchman keeps the circuit normally closed by pressing on the push-button 0 the armature will be rapidly vibrated by its alternate attractions and releases, and the hammer will be caused to give a rapid succession of blows upon the inleribbon or upon the dial. The result of this is a clearer impression than would be cil'ccted byasingle blow of the hammer, as the repeated tapping of the type is more effective than a single blow. It will be understood that the action is somewhat analogous to that of driving a tack by repeated blows of alight hammer instead of by a single blow of a heavy hammer. Bygiviug to each printing'character a series of tapping blows, good impressions can be made with a very small battery. The rotation of the dial is so slow that it may be practically disregarded in this connection. It will be observed that the arm t does not break the circuit until the electro-magnet has fully attracted the armature, so that there is no loss of force or power at tending the breaking of the circuit by the arm, as there would be if the circuit were broken before the armature is fully attracted. This automatic circuit-breaker enables awcak bat tery to be employed, and thus effects a saving 1n expense.

The dial, its motor, and the hammers and their actuating magnets and mechanism are inelosed in a suitable case, A, which is partially shown in Fig. 3. The door of said case has a lock, B, the bolt of which, when project ed to lock the door, bears against a spring circuit-closer, O, which is included in one of the branches of the circuit, and holds said spring away from a contact-point, I), in the same branch, thus breaking the circuit in said branch. Then the bolt is retracted to unlock the door, the spring 0 makes contact with the point D and closes the circuit, thus causing an electro-magnet, G, in the same branch to attract its armature, which is connected with ahammer forming one of the series above described. A record is thus made whenever the door of the case is unlocked, so that any attempt of the watchman to tamper with the apparatus can be detected. The record printed on the dial-sheet in the above manner will be in a circle or an arc thereof, the letters or figures approximating in position the figures on the face of a clock. able to determine. at aglanee the time at which each impression was made more conveniently than 011 a straight strip, as was the usual plan of recording prior to this invention.

I claim 1. In a watehmans electric register, the combination, with a rotating dial which carries the register-sheet, of a series of hammers or markers having types or printing-characters dillcring in each hammer from the others, and arranged to strike on the face of the dial, and means for operating said markers, comprising a series of electro-nragnets mechanically connected with said markers and circuit-closers at different points, substantially as described.

2. In a watchmans electric register, a rotating dial which carries the register-sheet, a series of hammers or markers arranged, as de' scribed, to strike at the same point on the face of the dial, and electromagnetic circuits which actuate said markers, all in combination sub stantially as described.

3. In a watchmans electric register, a rotating dial, an ink-ribbon placed adjacent to the face thereof, a series of marking devices or hammers arranged, as described, to make an impression at the same place through the ribbon on the dial, and an electro-magnetic circuit to actuate said hammer, all in combination as set forth.

at. In a watchmans electric register, the combination, with a sheet-carrying mechanism, of a marking type or hammer, an elec tro-magnetic device for actuating the same, and an automatic circuit-breaking device in.

The inspector will be IIO net, and thereafter to automatically close the circuit, as set forth.

6. In a watchmans electric register, the

combination of a rotating dial or its equiva-.

lent, a hammer or marker having a printing type or character adapted to make an impression on said dial, an electric circuit including a circuit-closer adapted to be operated by a watchman, and an electro-magnet having an armature adapted to operate said marker, and an automatic circuit-breaker, whereby the hammer may be caused to give a rapid succession of blows while the circuit is normally closed, as set forth.

7. In a watchmans electric register, the combination of a rotating dial or'its equivalent, a hammer or marker adapted to make an impression on said dial, an electric circuit including a circuit-closer adapted to be operated by a watchman, and an electro-magnet having an armature adapted to operate said marker, and a gravitating metallic arm in circuit with said magnet and caused to break the circuit by momentum after the armature is attracted by its magnet, and thereafter to antomatically close the circuit, whereby the hammer may be caused to give a rapid succession 'of blows while the circuit is normally closed, as set forth.

8. The method hereinbefore described of imprinting a character on a recording-sheet, which consists in actuating a hammer or marker by an electromagnetic circuit, and causing said circuit to be broken repeatedly and automatically, wherebythe character is imprinted by a series of taps, substantially as described.

9. In a watchmans electric register, the combination of the rotary dial or its equivalent, operating mechanism therefor, one or more markers electrically operated, as described, a case in which said dial, mechanism, and markers are contained, a lock for said case, a circuit-closer operated by the retraction of the lock-bolt, and an additional marker and operating devices therefor in circuit with said circuit-closer and contained in said case, whereby the unlocking of the case is indicated, as set forth. I

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 28th day of January, 1884..

JEROME BEDDING.

Vitnesses:

O. F. BROWN, A. L. XVHITE. 

